Diamagnetic separator.



PATENTBD J ENE 16, 1903.

E. GATES. DIAMAGNETIG SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 1, 1900.

H0 MODEL.

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UNITED rarss Patented June 18, 1903.

. ELlWER GATES, OF CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO 'lI-IEODORE. 3-.-

' MAYER, 'OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

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SPECHFICATIO T0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELMER GATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chevy Chase,

in the county of Montgomery and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements-in Diamagnetic Separators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invene tion, such as will enable others skilled in'the art to which it appertains to make and use the In a companion application of even date herewith, Serial No. 6,948, I have described and claimed a method of separating d'iilmagnetic particles from a mixture containing them, or diamagnetic particles of varying su sceptibility from each other, by establishing a long narrow interpclar space and feeding the material into said space in close proximity to the pole-faces, thereby leaving a central zone of lesser magnetic intensity into which move the diamagnetic particles to be separated, while the main body portion of the inert,ma-' terial remains in proximity to the polar faces or drops into inclined recesses, from which it is conveyed away by an outlet-channel to a separate collecting-hopper.

The present invention relates, broadly, to apparatus for practicing said method,and particularly to a specific form of such apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of an apparatus I adapted for the practice of. the invention, the

feeding and receiving hoppers being shown in section and the front boundary-plate of the interpolar space being omitted. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the pole-pieees'and their adjuncts, the front platebeing omitted.

Fig. 3 represents a central vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus.

Similar letters of reference-indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

' Referring to the drawings, H indicates the j'OkGS, J the bobbins, F the cores, and f the pole-pieces, of'a powerfulelectromagnet, said pole-pieces being preferably tapered, as shown in Fig. 2, soas to establish a highly-concen trated: magnetic field across the long narrow intervening air-gap. The pole-pieces f may be made adj ustable toward or from each other, if desired, by means of the dovetail joints,

N forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,035, dated June 16, 1903.

Application filed March 1. 1900. sent Kc, 5, 45. on moans (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3,) whereby the cores are attached to the yokes II.

Within the long narrow interpolar space is preferably interposed a series of inclines c, of a width corresponding to the width of the air gap. The purpose of these inclines, which should be of brass or other non-magnetic material, is to delay the descent of the material through the interpolar space, or rather to give it a longer path of travel therethrough, so as to subject it for a correspondingly longer period to the diamagnetic action. On opposite sides of the interpolar space are preferably arranged the brass or other non magnetic strips (1, which prevent the material from scattering.

Above the interpolar space is located a feedhopper K, having two exitopenings so arranged that the material will be fed into the field in close proximity to the pole-faces and onopposite. sides of the central zone. [is a consequence the diamagnetic particles .of higher susceptibility to be separated tend to move out from the pole-faces toward the central zone, while the inert sand or the like remains adjacent to the pole-faces. The material under the influence of gravity descends from one incline to another of the series until the lowermost incline is reached. During this. time the diamagnetic particles, such as gold, ofhigher susceptibility have finally moved outward to such an extent into the central .zone that they will fall into the receiving-hopper L as heads, and the inert material or sand will fall into the hopper M as tailings.

It will be understood that although great advantage is due to the employment of detaining means, such as the series of inclined planes in the inter-polar space, yet these detaining means or their equivalent may be entirely omitted and the material permitted to drop directlyv through the interpolar space from the double hopper K, or the central portion of the incline planesmay be omitted,

as illustrated in my application hereinbefore the feed for material being in close proxiinity to the face of the pole or poles whetherthe interpolar space be provided with detain ing means or not. I therefore desire that my invention be given a correspondingly broad interpretation. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, 'anddesire. to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A diamagnetic separator, comprising an electromagnet having pole-pieces separated by a long narrow interpolar space, and means for feeding the material into said space in close proximity to the pol e-faees,thereby leaving a central zone of lesser magnetic intensity into which move the particles of higher diamagnetic susceptibility, and inclined planes spanning the interpolar space; substantially as described.

v3. A diamai netic separator, comprising an electroniagnet, having pole-pieces separated by a long narrow interpoiar space, and means for feeding the material into said space in close proximity to the pole-faces,thereby leaving a central zone of lesser magnetic intensity into which move the particles of higher diamagnetic susceptibility, inclined planes span-- ning the interpolar space, and separate hoppets for the heads and tailing-s, substantially as set forth. v

4. A diamagn'etic separator, comprising an electromagnet having pole-pieces separated by a long narrow interpolar space", means of feeding the material into one end of said polar space immediately adjacent to the pole-faces, and a oollector for'the separated particles at the other end of said space, said collector being located in that part of said space farthest from the pole-faces.

in testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELM ER GATES.

Witnesses JOHN C. PENNIE,

J. E. lloromnson, Jr. 

